


Sleepless Nights

by MagiKatFish



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:43:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6403564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagiKatFish/pseuds/MagiKatFish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One night, Leo hears a strange cry. He thought it was none of his business, but he would be proved sorely mistaken.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I spent far too long working on this while stalking all things LeoKumi. Seriously, I am deep in hell with this ship. This kind of just created itself. I broke it up into chapters because I thought it was too long for all one chapter, but I'm posting it all at once. Hope you enjoy it!

The weak flame of a candle flickered against the darkness around it. A breath of cold wind blew through the tent, its flap fluttering open as the feeble light was extinguished, plunging the tent and its occupant into total darkness. The occupant paused and set down the small book in his hands, turning his attention to the extinguished candle. With a quiet, exasperated sigh, he pressed his fingers together and snapped. A spark of fire flickered back to life and took to the candle with a newfound brilliance.

Leo watched the flame for a moment before returning to his book. The yellowing pages were dry against his fingers, the ink faded and difficult to see in the poor lighting of his tent. Still, this particular book had been a rare discovery. It was one Leo had not heard of before, and the content had so enamored him that the sun had long since vanished from the sky and the stars had become his only company. He knew he would probably be reprimanded by Xander, and even worse by Corrin, for staying up so late at night when they were at war, but for now he was alone to enjoy the text in front of him. His eyes skimmed steadily over passage after passage. Leo was unsure who the author of this book was, or what its purpose was, but he hoped he could learn from it. He was about to turn to the next page and continue when the wind picked up again, and upon it he thought he heard the sound of a distant cry from outside the tent. Once again, Leo set down his book, this time to stare at the entrance of his tent, as if the owner of the voice he had heard would appear there at any moment. However, after a few minutes of tense silence, it seemed that would not be the case. Leo furrowed his brows in confusion. Had he been imagining it?

Leo slowly rose from his sleeping mat, the book laying forgotten on his pillow. He was reluctant to leave it, but the strange cry required investigating. If it was an enemy ambushing the camp while they slept, then he had to find out so the army could prepare to defend themselves. As he exited his tent, a gust of wind cut through his thin cloth garments and he shivered. It was a clear night, the stars shining brightly overhead. It was much different than the pitch black of Nohr, he noted with a faint ache in his chest. Leo looked up and down the row of tents that sheltered sleeping occupants and chewed his lip. That was when he spotted a figure moving down the row of tents, towards the hill they had chosen as their lookout point. Leo narrowed his eyes and decided to follow whoever it was. As far as he was aware, there wasn’t supposed to be a lookout switch for quite some time. Who was this person, then, and what were they doing?

Leo’s tread was light as he followed a safe distance behind the dark figure making their way up the hill. He could see their silhouette against the moonlight as they ascended the hill, their clothes fluttering in the breeze behind them. There was something in the figure’s hands, but Leo couldn’t make it out. He continued to follow them until they crested the hill and he could hear the distant sound of voices talking. 

“P-Prince Takumi! What are you doing here?” The voice of Mozu, the timid village girl, reached Leo’s ears. Leo paused at the mention of the Hoshidan prince’s name.

“I noticed you were acting sluggish during the skirmish today,” Takumi’s voice responded evenly. “You should get some more rest.”

“I’ll be fine!” Mozu protested, “Besides, this is my responsibility, I can’t just hand it off.”

“As a soldier at war, it’s also your responsibility to take care of yourself so you can fight to the best of your ability. This isn’t a request.”

“O-Okay,” Mozu faltered, and Leo could hear the scuffling sounds of her hurriedly rising to her feet. Her footsteps began to descend the hill, until they paused for a moment. “Thank you, Prince Takumi.”

Takumi said nothing, and then the footsteps gradually faded away. Leo saw the archer settle down on the grass, his bow resting on his lap. Exhaustion was beginning to settle on the Nohrian prince, and the cold night air was becoming unbearable. Furthermore, while Takumi’s attention to the soldiers was admittedly admirable, Leo had no wish to talk to the childish Hoshidan prince who was so intent on mistrusting all Nohrians. Instead, Leo decided to return to his tent and at last give in to the need to sleep. He turned on his heels and retreated down the hill, back to his tent. The candle he had lit earlier had been extinguished again, so Leo simply set his book off to the side and settled down onto his sleeping mat. As he closed his eyes and felt himself drifting off, a solitary thought flashed through his fading consciousness: he never did learn what had been the source of that mysterious cry.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day was all strategy meetings and counting supplies and organizing existing stocks. Leo had been roped into all sorts of miscellaneous tasks, from feeding the horses to buying medicines from the nearest town. He had just returned from his most recent shopping trip and was going to report to Corrin before attempting to flee to the privacy of his own tent for a while, but the sound of voices talking in the strategy tent caught his attention. He paused and wondered if Corrin was holding another meeting, before approaching and listening in.

“There’s nothing to worry about, Ryoma.” Leo recognized Takumi’s voice.

“Hinoka told me about Mozu,” The eldest Hoshidan prince spoke, his voice low and accusatory.

“And?” Takumi’s tone was challenging. Leo was well aware that the youngest Hoshidan prince was a hostile type of person, but he had not suspected such hostility to be openly directed at the eldest brother of the family.

“We’ve talked about this, Takumi,” Ryoma replied tersely, impatience laced in his tone. Leo recalled when Xander had last spoken to him like that and cringed.

“Everything is fine,” Takumi emphasized, “I don’t see why all of you have to harass me like this, its wasting my time. I’m leaving.”

Leo gulped and swiftly moved away so he would not appear so suspicious to the Hoshidan prince who was just now storming out of the tent. Takumi glanced at him, and for one second they held each other’s gaze, until Takumi scoffed and walked off. Leo let out a quick sigh of relief and dully noted that it seemed that Corrin was elsewhere. He made his way to her private tent and paused outside, careful to ensure that he would not walk in on any of the clearly displeased Hoshidan royals. However, all seemed silent.

“Corrin?” Leo called as he made his way into the tent. He found her laying on her sleeping mat, the palms of her hands pressed against her eyes. She groaned and peeked out from under her hands as he entered.

“Oh, hello, Leo,” She greeted with the ghost of a smile on her face.

“Are you all right?” Leo asked as Corrin struggled to sit up in her armor. 

“Fine, just fine,” Corrin sighed, “I’m just worried is all.”

Leo tried to suppress the grimace that threatened to spread across his face. “Anything I can help with?”

Corrin shook her head. “No, it’s just… I’m worried about Takumi.”

Frustration flashed red hot in Leo’s gut. If that childish Hoshidan prince had a problem, fine, Leo didn’t really care, but when it bothered Corrin then Leo felt a sudden urge to put the young prince in his place. What exactly was the archer’s problem that made everyone fawn over him like some defenseless creature? However, so as not to upset Corrin further, he swallowed his anger and asked instead, “Is everything all right with him?”

Corrin laughed humorlessly. “There’s no need to force yourself, Leo. Everyone is well aware that you two refuse to get along, though I appreciate the effort. He just has some trouble sleeping sometimes is all.”

“Well, if you insist,” Leo acquiesced. “Anyways, I just came to report I was finished with that trip you sent me on. Feel better, sister.”

“Thank you, Leo,” Corrin smiled at him, genuinely this time, as he left her tent. 

Well, at least some things were starting to make more sense, like why Takumi had been up last night or why the Hoshidan family was so tense. How ironic, Leo thought to himself with bitter amusement, that the very same prince who had lectured a soldier on getting proper rest had quite the problem with it as well. Well, not like Leo cared about the youngest Hoshidan prince anyways, as long as he could still aim properly with his bow and fight well. It was none of his business.

~~~

By the light of a weak fire spell, Leo tried to read the handwritten words hastily scratched against the old pages of the tome in his hand. It was well past sundown the next day and the sparring grounds were obviously empty, but Leo had been trying to master this one spell all day, and with his first success so close within his grasp, he refused to return to his tent until he had managed to cast it.   
He traced the ancient language with his lips, the sounds foreign on his tongue. The ground around him glowed with a complex sigil and the air crackled with energy. The stones beneath his feet cracked and Leo tensed. He had never gotten this far into the spell before. It felt like the very essence of the earth was being channeled into the spell through him. What was at first a mere tingling sensation in his fingertips had transformed into a sharp pain down his spine. He was almost through with the spell, he could feel it, but the pain was almost unbearable. He bit his lip, felt the skin break and tasted the blood, and with a strangled cry he dropped his arms and felt the ground around him shake with a resounding crack that split the earth in half. He drew heavy gasps of air, feeling like his nerves had been burned by fire. 

“Damn,” Leo muttered under his breath. He had been so close that time.

“Careful with that! Are you trying to kill everyone?”

Leo froze. Someone had been watching, and they had witnessed his failure. The shame of that alone had Leo’s cheeks burning with humiliation, but of all the people who could have seen it, it had to be him. Of course it was.

“Prince Takumi,” Leo grinded out the begrudging greeting from between clenched teeth.

The youngest Hoshidan prince approached with something akin to anger on his face, but Leo was hardly in the mood to be intimidated by it. Quite the opposite, seeing the problematic prince just made Leo angrier.

“Was that supposed to be an attempt at magic?” Takumi asked. Leo wanted nothing more than the wipe the frown off Takumi’s face.

“Until I was interrupted by you, yes,” Leo snapped. He had been so close.

Takumi laughed derisively. “It looked like it had failed long before I said a word.”

Leo scowled. “And may I ask why you were watching me?”

“I just came to train a bit.”

“At this time of night?”

Takumi shrugged. Leo knew what that meant, and he had to hold back a bark of laughter because of it. The Hoshidan prince was having trouble sleeping again. 

“Whatever,” Leo rolled his eyes, “I’m retiring for the night. I suggest you do the same.”

“Like I’d listen to someone like you,” Takumi muttered in response.

“Forgive me, your highness.”

“I hardly think you qualify to mock me for being royalty, Prince Leo.”

“Perhaps, but at least Nohrian royalty refrains from acting so childish and entitled.”

With that, Leo pushed past Takumi and headed for his tent. His blood was boiling with frustration, but he refused to get in an outright fight with the Hoshidan prince. For Corrin’s sake, he would try to remain civil. Leo could hear Takumi muttering under his breath as he walked away, and hoped that at the very least, he had managed to get under the Hoshidan’s skin. It vaguely registered in his mind that this was the third night in a row that Takumi had been without sleep, but the thought was quickly brushed aside. It was certainly not his problem.


	3. Chapter 3

Leo thought that was going to be it. Corrin would fret and find a solution in the end, because it was Corrin and that’s what Corrin always did. The next day, they had encountered a large number of Faceless on the outskirts of a nearby forest, so the army had been called to battle. The fight was more violent than usual. The Faceless had been worked into a frenzy over something, and they rampaged through the army’s formation with a wild thirst for blood. Several times Leo caught sight of the Hoshidan princess Sakura, her face pale and mouth set in a thin line, at her wit’s end due to the endless stream of injuries that required tending to. However, for the most part, Leo kept his eyes focused solely on the enemy, lest he lose sight of an attack and fall off his horse. He refused to think of consequences graver than that. 

It was in the midst of this battle that Leo realized how mistaken he had been. He had pursued a Faceless until it was cornered, and cast the spell to end its life. However, the Faceless did not die like Leo had predicted it would. Instead, it let out an enraged roar and raised its club high into the air to strike. Leo tried to maneuver his horse to avoid the attack, but the horse had been frightened by the loud howl and reared up on its hind legs. Leo clung desperately to the horse’s neck, and saw the club swing down as if all of time had slowed down. He braced himself for the fall, and for the landing, and for the terrible pain that would follow. Such a fate, however, was cut short by the whizzing arrow that flew past Leo’s shoulder and right into the head of the Faceless. With a deep moan, the creature collapsed to the earth. Leo stared blankly at its body for a moment before looking behind him, scanning the field for whomever had shot the arrow that had quite possibly saved his life. That was when he made eye contact with the equally shocked face of none other than Prince Takumi. The Hoshidan prince looked like he wanted to say something, perhaps something unnecessarily scathing to ignore the fact that he had just saved Leo’s life, and Leo was ready to welcome the distraction, but the battle had not frozen just because they had, and now it was Takumi’s turn to meet the fate of a Faceless’s club. Leo’s eyes were still locked with Takumi’s even as his brain stuttered to life to warn the oblivious fool that he was about to die. His body sprung to life before his mind.

“Look out!”

Leo urged his horse forward, straight into the path of the attacking Faceless, his eyes still frozen in place. It was Takumi who broke their stare to look behind him, it was Takumi whose body failed to respond, and it was Takumi who was going to die. And that was when Leo’s horse collided with the Faceless and knocked it off balance. Leo rolled off the saddle and hit the ground hard, letting out a grunt of pain at the sensation piercing his shoulder, but nonetheless he still pushed himself to his feet, mind swirling, and cast a spell once again, this time succeeding in ending the life of its target. It felt like the whole battle could have ended right then.

“Takumi!”

Corrin was there now, holding onto Takumi like he might slip away at any moment, tears in her eyes. And then Ryoma was there, and then Hinoka and Sakura as well, and the whole family was worried about Takumi. Takumi’s eyes were slightly glazed, and his grip on his Fujin Yumi was slack. Watching Corrin cry, and with the memory of Takumi’s eyes fixed on him for too long, Leo sighed. Maybe it was his business after all.

~~~

The entire army was completely exhausted. After the battle, miraculous in its lack of casualties despite the close calls, there were injuries to be tended to, supplies to organize, strategies to rethink, and most of all rest to be had. So, it was also miraculous that Leo was still awake past nightfall. A pair of frozen eyes haunted his thoughts, and stared back at him when he closed his eyes. Leo cursed the Hoshidan prince with every fiber of his being, because now Takumi’s sleeplessness had infected him as well. He sat in his tent and scowled at the tarp above him. What was wrong with him?

He was distracted from the thoughts plaguing his mind when a shadow passed across his tent and he heard the rustle of footsteps. It was faint, but there was no mistaking it. Leo’s stomach flipped uncomfortably and he immediately rose to see who it was, although he already had a good idea. Sure enough, when Leo peeked outside the tent, he saw the figure of Takumi walking down the row in the direction of the woods. Leo cursed under his breath. Maybe before he would have simply ignored it and gone to sleep, but now he was unable to sleep and worry writhed in his gut. Takumi had his bow with him and the area was clear of Faceless, but still Leo worried. He would go out and follow the Hoshidan prince, if not for the fact that he knew his company would be horribly unwelcome. Instead, he opted to settle down near the entrance of his tent and kept his eyes fixed on the woods that Takumi had vanished into. If he did not return after a while, Leo would go looking for him. 

He spent the time reading a book by candlelight. Time passed slowly, and every few minutes he would glance up and stare at the woods, looking for the figure of Takumi. He had no idea how long he had spent like this, but eventually his eyes grew heavy, and no matter how hard he tried to resist, he kept nodding off. The book slid out of hands and lay forgotten on the ground as Leo drifted off to sleep.

It was a sound that eventually woke Leo, or a feeling like something was looming over him. There was a terrible ache in his neck and he let out the softest of groans as he reached with one of his hands to try and massage the pain away. He cracked an eye open and saw a familiar pair of eyes staring back at him, far too close for comfort. This startled both of them, and their gaze was broken as they each retreated a couple feet. 

“What were you doing?” Leo accused defensively, glaring up at Takumi with blatant suspicion.

“I was trying to wake you up,” Takumi scoffed. “What possessed you to sleep outside your tent?”

Leo opened his mouth to retort that it was because of Takumi that he ended up like that, but he paused, unwilling to admit such a thing to the subject of his frustration, who would no doubt take the explanation poorly. Instead, he set his jaw and looked away. Takumi, detecting that he would get no response from the Nohrian prince, rolled his eyes and stood up. 

“Don’t blame me when you get sick,” Takumi muttered.

“Don’t patronize me,” Leo replied quickly, still refusing to look back at Takumi. He expected an equally hostile response from the Hoshidan, but surprisingly no harsh words came. Instead, the silence in their exchange was filled by the sound of Takumi’s shuffling footsteps as he turned to leave. Leo looked up to stare at Takumi’s retreating figure in confusion. In that moment, Takumi turned around.

“Thanks for earlier today, by the way.”

And then Takumi left. If Leo had been confused before, now he was stunned. He had not expected such a meek display from Takumi, but he supposed a near-death experience would be enough to humble even the Hoshidan prince’s arrogance. Still, Leo had thought that the events of that battle would remain unspoken between them. Having Takumi acknowledge his actions made it seem more real somehow, more momentous, and it startled Leo. 

“You’re welcome,” Leo mumbled, although Takumi was no longer around to hear him. Then he retreated back into his tent.


	4. Chapter 4

It was early in the morning when Corrin declared they were moving camp to somewhere safer while the army recovered from their battle injuries. No one was particularly enthused for the day of travel ahead of them, but nonetheless few complaints were raised against the decision. Leo, for his part, was less bothered than some of the others, as he had the luxury of traveling on horseback. He was particularly thankful for that fact as he stifled yet another yawn and blinked the drowsiness from his eyes. His horse pawed at the ground impatiently, swishing its tail and shifting on its legs. Leo absentmindedly pat its neck to tell it to wait just a little while longer as the rest of the army set off down the road. 

“All right everyone, let’s go!” Corrin called from ahead. The army marched forward with Leo following up from behind.

The trip ended up being much longer than they had anticipated. The main road they had been following cut through a valley that had been overrun with enemy forces, and with the army in its current condition, Corrin made the call to take a detour through a nearby canyon. Unfortunately, it extended travel time by three hours, but at least it was safe. They took a moment to rest when they arrived at the road that led down into the canyon, so both the people and horses could eat, rehydrate, and catch their breaths. Then they were off again, winding their way through the bottom of the canyon as the afternoon sun burned bright overhead. Leo regretted wearing his black armor.

Half an hour later, the army was made to stop again. Elise ended up fainting from heatstroke and Xander had to carry her on his horse. Corrin warned everyone to make sure they were taking care of themselves and not to push themselves too hard, and then they continued forward. Leo, much to his chagrin, found his gaze drift to the back of a certain Hoshidan prince who had recently shed the outer layer of his armor and was also walking towards the back of the group, his pace suspiciously slow. Leo, despite his irritation, felt a familiar tug of worry. Exasperated, Leo resigned himself to the fact that this had somehow become a concern of his, and swallowed his pride in order to ride up to the Hoshidan and stop in front of him, halting both of their progress. Takumi looked up at Leo with an attempt at an angry expression, though its effect was hindered by his somewhat red face and breathlessness.

“Get on,” Leo said flatly.

“What?” Takumi looked taken aback by Leo’s straightforward words. If possible, his skin flushed even more.

“It wasn’t an offer,” Leo continued, undeterred by Takumi’s attitude.

“It won't be necessary,” Takumi dismissed Leo quickly and tried to sidestep around him. Leo blocked his path again.

“I’m doing this for Corrin’s sake, as should you.”

Takumi stared up at Leo, and Leo could tell the Hoshidan was calculating if it was worth it to start a dispute just then. Leo kept silent and was rewarded for his patience when Takumi finally sighed and mumbled, “Only for Corrin.”

Leo was fine with that. Takumi hoisted himself up onto the saddle behind Leo and Leo spurred his horse forward. They had fallen a bit behind the army, but Leo was fine with that. He was not exactly keen on having others see him giving a ride to Takumi of all people, and he had a feeling Takumi preferred it that way as well. So, he had his horse meander on at a lazy walk as his thoughts began to drift.

Takumi was surprisingly short, Leo noted absently. He could feel the warmth of Takumi’s forehead near his neck and the puffs of air against his skin as Takumi caught his breath, and suddenly Leo was acutely aware of just how exposed his neck was. Then he realized how close they were sitting. Takumi’s hands were resting lightly on his waist to balance himself, and even though Leo was wearing armor he felt like those hands were searing into his sides. 

“It’s a nice view from astride a horse.”

Leo’s heart pounded against his chest. He was caught off guard by Takumi’s sudden words, and it took him a moment to collect himself enough to respond coolly. “I agree.”

Takumi’s voice hummed close to Leo’s ear and Leo’s hands unconsciously tightened on the reins, making his horse snort and toss its head in displeasure. Leo resolved to ignore Takumi if he continued to speak, but it appeared the Hoshidan was already done. They rode in silence, and it was when Takumi's body sagged against Leo's back that he found out why. Takumi had fallen asleep using Leo's back as a makeshift pillow. Leo desperately hoped none of his siblings would look back and notice the predicament he had gotten himself into, because his face was red and he was fairly certain it was not from heatstroke. 

~~~

Takumi did not wake up when they arrived at the destination of their new camp. If Leo had been a less considerate person, he would have pushed Takumi off long ago, like when the crown prince of Hoshido had caught his eye, noticed Takumi asleep against his back, and nodded like he was approving of something. However, Leo knew how much Takumi needed the rest, so he refrained, but only just. Still, with nothing left to do but set up camp and tend to the horses, Leo figured it was time to rouse Takumi from his slumber. Leo twisted around in the saddle and, with a gingerly hesitance, rested a hand on Takumi’s shoulder and squeezed it. Takumi let out a quiet groan.

“Prince Takumi,” Leo prompted.

His voice did the trick. Takumi’s eyes snapped open and he jolted awake, nearly slipping off the saddle in the process. Leo held him steady until he regained his balance and then quickly let go of Takumi’s shoulder. 

“You should have woken me up sooner,” Takumi snapped angrily and hastily dismounted from Leo’s horse, landing somewhat unsteadily on his feet. He strode away without another word, leaving a silent Leo in his wake. Leo stared at Takumi’s retreating figure and furrowed his brows. The expression on Takumi’s face just then, despite the seemingly angry words, had been anything but. He looked surprised, flustered even. 

“Leo.”

Leo was distracted from his thoughts by the sound of Corrin’s voice. He swiveled back in his saddle and saw her looking up at him. He dismounted from his horse, landing heavily in his armor, and asked, “What is it?”

“Ryoma told me about how you were helping Takumi,” Corrin said. “We’re both grateful he found someone to help with his nightmares.”

“Nightmares?”

Corrin’s lips froze halfway through another statement before she backtracked. “You mean… Then why were you…?”

Leo frowned. “Is that why he’s been sleeping so poorly? A couple of bad dreams?”

By this point, Corrin was stubbornly insisting on looking anywhere but at Leo. “He gets them all the time. I… We thought you knew about it.”

“Certainly not,” Leo said stiffly. “I offered to let him rest for a moment but he ended up falling asleep.”

“Oh,” Corrin replied. She was playing absently with her hands and staring down at them. “Well, thank you anyways. It was a relief to see regardless.”

“Sure,” Leo shrugged. 

Corrin nodded and hurried off, leaving Leo to his thoughts. His chest felt uncomfortably tight, and the thought of Ryoma’s approving nod made him grimace. Was it really so infeasible for Takumi to be able to sleep peacefully? Was it really as significant as Corrin made it out to be? Leo wanted to scoff at the thought, but instead he just felt unsettled and confused. In an attempt to get his mind off of it, he grabbed his horse’s reins and led it away from the main crowd of the army, suddenly hyperconscious of any eyes on him.

~~~

It was late at night and Leo was no closer to sleep than he had been several hours ago. His mind was alight with unwelcome thoughts, and every so often he would think about Takumi and the way Corrin and Ryoma had looked at him with those expressions—astonished expressions he had come to realize—and his mind would stutter to a stunned halt before it picked up another string of thoughts that led him back around in an inevitable circle. Did he really looked like he cared? Did he really care? Leo groaned and stood up. Laying on his sleeping mat would solve nothing. He grabbed his sword and left his tent for the training grounds.

Fate had it out for Leo it seemed, because no sooner had Leo arrived than the distinct sound of an arrow burrowing into a wooden target reached his ears. He wished desperately that it was just Niles, or even that airhead Setsuna from Hoshido, but of course it was neither. It was Takumi, Fujin Yumi in hand, training in the dead of night. Leo sighed in despair and gave up on the notion of late night training as another arrow was conjured into existence and found its mark. 

Begrudgingly, Leo had to admit that Takumi was an exceptional archer. Until now, he had paid the Hoshidan prince’s archery little attention, but now was different. Takumi’s shots with the Fujin Yumi were strangely beautiful, captivating in its complex handling. He shot arrows with a familiarity akin to breathing, something so natural and subconscious that it no longer required thought. Shot after shot, Leo found himself amazed by the fluidity and grace with which Takumi wielded a bow. There was confidence behind it, a deeply rooted familiarity that Leo recognized whenever he picked up his favorite tome, Brynhildr. It reminded him of the peaceful silence of the library where he had studied and the comforting sensation of aging pages against his fingertips. Was that how it felt for Takumi to hold a bow? Leo imagined so. He spent a while like that, watching Takumi fire shot after shot with his bow, his mind reminiscing with familiar thoughts, wondering if perhaps Takumi shared similar sentiments, or if his mind was too tightly choked by dark dreams to focus on much more than the target in front of him and actions as natural as breathing. Leo hoped not.


	5. Chapter 5

Leo had managed to get a couple hours of sleep in the end, though he was acutely aware that his dreams had been filled with calloused hands and the sound of arrows hitting their marks. He found himself too tired to care. He also found that, despite all odds, his opinion about Takumi had changed. Somehow, amidst the nights consumed by sleeplessness and the days filled with exhaustion, Leo had come to acknowledge that Takumi had depths which he had at first not perceived, and perhaps within those depths they could forge something better than hatred. He dared not hope for something as lofty as friendship, but perhaps something bordering on amicable was possible after all. Such thoughts propelled Leo forwards into the day and prompted him to seek out the object of his thoughts.

He found Takumi somewhat predictably near the training grounds, in the company of his two retainers. They were talking about something in hushed voices, though Leo could plainly see the mixture of frustration and concern in the expression of the spear wielder Oboro. Leo considered turning around and leaving while he still had the chance to pretend that these new thoughts had not crossed his mind, but his doubts were put to an end when Takumi glanced up and noticed Leo approaching. Leo supposed it was too late to back out, so he continued forward despite the clear scowl on Oboro’s face. 

“Prince Leo,” Takumi greeted. It was a guarded initiation.

“Prince Takumi,” Leo reciprocated. “May I speak with you for a moment?”

The samurai, Hinata, folded his arms in front of him. Takumi shrugged, “Whatever you have to say, my retainers can hear it as well.”

Leo held his tongue. He supposed this was as good as he was going to get for now. “Very well. I just wanted to apologize to you. My actions have been unbecoming of a prince of Nohr, and I do not wish to remain contentious with any of my new allies. I was hoping we could get to know each other better.”

If Takumi was surprised, his face did not show it. Of course, such self-control did not extend to his two retainers, who gawked at Leo as if seeing a monster for the first time. They stared at Takumi in anticipation, wondering how he would respond to Leo’s gesture.

“All right.” 

Hinata and Oboro’s eyes widened almost comically. Leo was equally as shocked, but he schooled his expression and kept it neutral, even when Takumi’s retainers kept squawking and protesting. Takumi silenced them with a pointed look and finally dismissed them. As they left, trailing dejectedly towards the training grounds where everyone else was gathered, Leo let out a tight breath he had not realized he had been holding. Now he was alone with Takumi and he was unsure of what to do next.

“Well?” Takumi prompted.

“I didn’t expect you to agree,” Leo commented, allowing the weakest of grins to chance across his face.

“Neither did I,” Takumi responded, and Leo hoped he had not imagined the faint flicker of a smile on his face as well. 

“I suggest we try to get to know each other a bit,” Leo pushed forward bravely. “What’s your favorite food?”

~~~

Leo never could have anticipated how much he and Takumi had in common. It was almost uncanny. Certainly not unwelcome, but uncanny nonetheless. Neither of them had anticipated that they would get along so well, and suddenly the possibility of friendship was not so farfetched any longer. After teaching Takumi how to play chess, he had been lent one of Takumi’s favorite books to read before they bid each other farewell for the night. It was almost enough to make Leo feel pleased, except he knew that, far from separating to sleep for the night, Takumi would remain awake for yet another sleepless night. This fact bothered Leo, so instead of settling in to read the book Takumi had lent him, Leo once again picked up his sword and headed for the training grounds.  
Takumi was there again, practicing his archery alone beneath the moonlight. Leo was nearly entranced once again by the familiar display, but he shook his head before he could get carried away. He stepped forward onto the training grounds and called out to the Hoshidan.

“Prince Takumi.”

The conjured arrow notched in the Fujin Yumi flickered out of existence as Takumi looked up in surprise. “Prince Leo? What are you doing here?”

Leo shrugged and brandished his sword for Takumi to see. “Couldn’t sleep. Spar with me?”

“With swords?” Takumi asked, glancing down at his bow.

“I’m sure you know how.”

“Of course,” Takumi replied slowly, “Though it’s been a while.”

Leo waited patiently for Takumi to retrieve a sword from the weapons storage. His heart sped up as Takumi stood across from him, sword at the ready and eyes focused on him. When their swords clashed, Leo could feel the strength of Takumi’s arms through the blow. The Hoshidan’s footwork was certainly rusty, though he made up for it with his strength and strategy, and by the end Leo was breathless with exhilaration, the sensation of fighting with swords foreign to him after so long with tome in hand. He was smiling unabashedly, and Takumi was doing the same. They both looked at each other and Leo could have sworn Takumi skipped the same breath.

“That was—”

“—refreshing,” Takumi finished for Leo, and the Nohrian hummed in agreement. The ensuing silence was companionable, though Leo worried Takumi might hear the wild beating of his heart.

“I should get some rest,” Leo finally declared, hoping Takumi would be unable to detect the slight quiver that crept into his voice.

“Sure,” Takumi replied. It was automatic, and it grated at Leo.

“You should get some rest too,” Leo added.

Takumi looked away. “Sure.” Leo stared at him with a hard glint in his eye until Takumi finally sighed and acquiesced. “Fine, I will. Let me just put this away.”

Leo waited until Takumi put the sword away, and then together they walked back to the tents. Takumi’s tent was nearby to Leo’s, and they paused outside before they went their separate ways.

“Good night, Leo.”

“Good night, Takumi.”

Inside his tent, Leo sighed heavily and set down his sword. He cursed Corrin halfheartedly, cursed the cry that had woken him several nights ago, and most of all he cursed Takumi. Of course I care, Leo thought hopelessly as he settled down to sleep. There was no denying it any longer.

~~~

Leo was woken up later by the sound of a cry. It was so chillingly familiar, and it sounded so close, that Leo was amazed he had been unaware of the source of the noise the first time he had heard it. He stumbled out of his tent, into the wind that had picked up outside, and made his way down the row of tents to one specific one, which he entered cautiously. All of his vague worry and ache suddenly condensed into a singular, sharp pain through his heart as he beheld Takumi thrashing against his blankets, caught in the throes of a formless nightmare. Takumi’s usually neatly groomed hair was a tangled, loose mess against the pillow as he tossed and turned. Every so often a whimper would escape his lips and his thrashing would begin anew as Leo felt his heart wrench. Leo, disregarding all reservation, rushed to Takumi’s side and knelt down beside him. He placed his hands against Takumi’s shoulders and gripped them gently, like he had done the last time he had woken up the Hoshidan prince.

“Takumi,” Leo called. Takumi’s brow furrowed and he attempted to escape Leo’s grip. “Takumi. Wake up, it’s me. Leo.”

Takumi’s eyes fluttered open. His pupils darted around, trying to ground himself, before they settled on Leo’s face looming above him. His lips cracked open and he breathed out quietly, “Leo?”  
Leo nodded. He withdrew his hands from Takumi’s shoulders to allow Takumi to sit up, which the Hoshidan did slowly, achingly, as if it hurt. He had never seen Takumi so disheveled, his hair a mess and his eyes red, too red to merely be from exhaustion. Leo wanted to reach out and run his hands through Takumi’s hair, wanted to comfort him like Camilla had done when Leo was young and afraid at night. 

“What are you doing here?” Takumi asked, his voice a timid echo of earlier in the night.

“I heard you,” Leo answered simply. 

“I apologize for waking you,” Takumi offered. “You can leave now, I’ll be fine.”

Leo laughed, a hint of bitterness in his tone. “I somehow doubt that.”

Takumi shrugged. The silence stretched between them, suddenly tense and unsure. Leo wanted to speak, but his aching heart was afraid and unsure. Takumi was avoiding his eyes. Was this too much after all?

“Takumi—”

“Leo—”

Leo closed his mouth quickly. Takumi looked dazed.

“Will you stay?”

Leo stared at Takumi, wondering if he had heard correctly. If he dared to hear correctly. “Of course,” Leo answered quietly.

Takumi nodded, and Leo could see that his face had become red. He was sure his had too, it was burning hot and felt like it had. Without a word, Leo lay down next to Takumi, and without thinking, thread his fingers through Takumi’s hair. 

“I seem to sleep easy with you,” Takumi commented as he closed his eyes, not having rejected Leo’s touch. 

Leo chuckled. “I noticed.”

Takumi’s lips curled into a small grin. Leo continued to run his fingers through Takumi’s hair until eventually, Takumi’s breathing slowed, and Leo was sure he was asleep. Leo smiled. Yes, he definitely cared.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please do feel free to talk to me about this ship, I've read like every fic for them on this site and I'm getting desperate... xD


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